000 FZNT24 KNHC 180901 OFFNT4 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 330 AM CST WED FEB 18 2009 OFFSHORE WATERS FORECAST FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO SEAS GIVEN AS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT...WHICH IS THE AVERAGE HEIGHT OF THE HIGHEST 1/3 OF THE WAVES. INDIVIDUAL WAVES MAY BE MORE THAN TWICE THE SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT. GMZ089-181530- SYNOPSIS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO 330 AM CST WED FEB 18 2009 .SYNOPSIS...HIGH PRES OFF THE CAROLINA COAST SHIFTS E AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT ENTERS THE NW GULF LATE TODAY. THE FRONT SURGES SE THROUGH THE GULF THU...FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRES BUILDING OVER THE N GULF FRI. ANOTHER COLD FRONT ENTERS THE NW WATERS SAT AND EXTENDS FROM CENTRAL FLORIDA TO 25N95W TO 19N96W SUN...FOLLOWED BY STRONG N WINDS. $$ GMZ080-181530- NW GULF N OF 25N W OF 90W INCLUDING FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY 330 AM CST WED FEB 18 2009 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...S TO SW WINDS 15 KT...SHIFTING NW TO N 10 TO 15 KT N OF FRONT LATE. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS ALONG FRONT. .THU...N TO NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS BUILDING 6 TO 9 FT LATE. .THU NIGHT...NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT S OF 27N AND 4 TO 6 FT N OF 27N. .FRI...N OF 27N E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. S OF 27N NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. .SAT AND SUN...S TO SW WINDS 15 TO 20 KT BECOMING N TO NE 25 TO 30 KT N OF FRONT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT BUILDING 9 TO 12 FT EARLY SUN. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS ALONG FRONT. $$ GMZ082-181530- SW GULF S OF 25N W OF 90W 330 AM CST WED FEB 18 2009 .TODAY...SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT EXCEPT 2 TO 4 FT S OF 20N. .TONIGHT AND THU...SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING N TO NE 20 TO 25 KT N OF FRONT THU...EXCEPT TO 30 KT S OF 23N W OF 96W LATE. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT BUILDING 6 TO 9 FT N OF FRONT. SCATTERED SHOWERS ALONG FRONT. .THU NIGHT AND FRI...NE TO E WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 7 TO 11 FT. .SAT...E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS W PART. .SUN...NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT N OF FRONT EXCEPT 25 TO 30 KT S OF 24N W OF 96W. SEAS BUILDING 9 TO 12 FT LATE. S OF FRONT E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS ALONG FRONT. $$ GMZ084-181530- MIDDLE GULF BETWEEN 85W AND 90W 330 AM CST WED FEB 18 2009 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...N OF 25N S TO SW WINDS 15 TO 20 KT SHIFTING NW 20 KT BEHIND FRONT. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. S OF 25N SE TO S WINDS 15 TO 20 KT BECOMING S TO SW 15 KT WED NIGHT. SEAS 4 TO 5 FT. .THU AND THU NIGHT...N OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT. S OF FRONT S TO SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 4 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED TSTMS ALONG FRONT. .FRI...N TO NE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT N OF 25N. SEAS 6 TO 9 FT S OF 27N AND 4 TO 7 FT N OF 27N. .SAT...N OF 27N S TO SW WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. S OF 27N E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. .SUN...N OF FRONT N TO NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS BUILDING 7 TO 10 FT LATE. S OF FRONT E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS ALONG FRONT. $$ GMZ086-181530- E GULF BETWEEN 81W AND 85W 330 AM CST WED FEB 18 2009 .TODAY AND TONIGHT...N OF 27N S TO SW WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS BUILDING 5 TO 7 FT. S OF 27N S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 5 FT. .THU AND THU NIGHT...N OF FRONT NW TO N WINDS 20 TO 25 KT. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT. S OF FRONT S TO SW WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS ALONG FRONT. .FRI...NW TO N WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT N OF 25N. SEAS 5 TO 8 FT...SUBSIDING TO 3 TO 5 FT N OF 27N. .SAT...N OF 26N SE TO S WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. S OF 26N E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT. .SUN...N OF FRONT N WINDS 20 KT. SEAS BUILDING 8 TO 9 FT. S OF FRONT VARIABLE WINDS 10 KT OR LESS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS ALONG FRONT. $$ FORECASTER CHRISTENSEN